Detachable and replaceable heel



July 111'939. A, LIPPERT '2,165,281

lDETMJMBLE AND REPLACEABLE HEEL y Filed Mayas, 1937 FIC-5.1.

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Patented July 1l, 1939 UNITEDSTATi-:s PATENT OFFICE DETACHABLE AND BEPLACEABLE HEEL Victor A. Lippert, Canton, Ohio, assignor of onehalt to Richard D. Wernet, Canton,` Ohio Application May 13, 1937, Serial No. 142,447

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a heel construction for a shoe or the like, more particularly aheel construction having a detachable and replaceable traction or tread member formed of elastic material, such as rubber.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved heel having a tread member formed of yieldable, elastic material adapted to be removed 7 and replaced or a new member substituted in a ready manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved heel construction having a -removable tread member formed of yieldable or cushioning material and which may be applied without the use of tools, nails, screws or other vmechanicalv means, whereby the user may replace such member readily from time to time and maintain' his heel at normal height.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved heel construction comprising few parts which may `be readily manufactured and applied to the sole of a shoe.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the artl to which my invention relates-from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the inventionand'wherein Fig. l is a side elevation of a shoe having applied thereto aheel construction embodying my invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is -a fragmentary view,-'partly in section and partly in elevation, with the tread member removed.

Iig. 6 is a view of the tread member, parts thereof being broken away.

Fig. '1 is a section on thefline 'l--l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the tread member.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the base member.

In the drawing, I indicates generally a shoe which may be of' 'any desired construction and formed of suitable material. The shoe comprises an upper portion 2 and a sole 3. indicates as anentirety the heel for theshoe and consisting of a base member 5 anda tread member 6. The heel 4 may be applied\to the sole 3 when the shoe vI is made and completed; where the shoe already is complete, its heel may be removed and a heel 4 substituted therefor.

The base member 5 is of a size and shape so as to conform to the side edges of the sole around the heel portion thereof and is formed of a suitable material that permits nails to be readily driven intoand through it for which purpose wood may be employed; Byl preference, the mem'- ber I is formed with a plurality of holes `5a to driven into the sole as shown in Figs. l, 3, 5 and '7, the heads of the nails being preferably counter-y sunk; but it will be obvious that screws may be used instead of nails. The inner face of the base member 5 is surfaced to conform to that of the sole so as to have bearing over its entire area; such surface in the illustrated construction being at and fitting face to face with the sole when applied thereto. The inner side edge 5b of the base member 5 may be curvilinear, as shown in Figs. 4 and 9, consistent with the usual shape of heels. The side wall of the base member, adja cent its outer vsurface is cut-away to form an inwardly extending recess 8 and by preference this cut-away is arranged to accommodate the,

flange 9 provided on the tread member 6 so that when the latter is mounted or assembled on the base member 5, its outer side wall and the side wall of the base member are alined with the side wall or edge of the sole to form a unitary substantially vertical side wall around the heel portion of the shoe I. For this purpose, the bottom wall of the recess is substantially horizontal and its side wall is inclined downwardly and outwardly and terminates inwardly of the side wall of the member 5. The ltread member 6 has a vcontour substantially similar to the base member to insure durability and non-slipping character.

istics when in use. The tread member 6 consists of a tread portion I 9 the inner surfacelof which rests against the outer surface ofthe base member 5 and an integral circumferential ange 8 (already referred to) the inner wall of which normally extends upwardly and inwardly, the cross sectional shape of the ange 9 being equal to the cross section of the recess 8. The flange 9 being formed of elastic material, it is capable of expansion laterally and hence may be stretched and distended over and around the side wall of the recess 8 and seated in the latten-as shown in Figs. 1,. 3, 4 and '7, the normal tendency of vthe flange 9 to contract serving to maintain itself seated in the recess 8 whereby thetread mem- -ber is secured in position.

base member throughout its entire perimeter, -v

and hence prevents displacement of the tread portionin any direction. v

However, it will be obvious that the recess 8 may be omitted from the inner side wall oi the base member 5. In this latter arrangement the engagement ofthe expandible ange il along the corresponding wall of the tread member 6 with the inner side wall of the member E would serve, in cooperation with the rearward portions of the ange 9, to prevent any displacement of the tread member. Where the heel portion of the sole curves inwardly for merging with the arch portion of the sole, as shown in the drawing. and since this curvature may be increased, if desired, the correspondingly. inwardly curved portions of the ange 9 would sen/e to supplement the locking effect of the iiange 9 along the inner side wall of the tread member, as just described. Ribs il may be provided on the bottom surface of the tread member 5 byforming therein a plurality of sha1- low recesses or grooves l ia..

In the application of my heel construction to a complete shoe, the original heel thereon is removed and the base member 5 nailed, cemented or otherwise attached to the sole 3, as shown in Fig. 5, and thereafter the tread member 6 is positioned on the base member 5, as shown in Fig. l.

It is desirable for many reasons t'o maintain all portions of the heel at normal height for walking as well as for appearance sake. By my construction the ready detachment and attachment of the tread member makes it possible to renew such member at will, at little expense, as once the base member is applied to the sole, any number of tread members can be replaced without the use of tools, and fastening devices. It will be noted that the inner wall of the ange 9 is inclined downwardly and outwardly so that the thickness of the flexible material at the point of union of the ange with the tread portion l0 is relatively narrow and therefore the ange may be. readily flexed or stretched laterally outwardly to facilitate the application or removal of the tread member.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates many changes in construction and widelydiering embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. My disclosures and thel description 'herein are purely illustrative and not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim'is:

l. A heel construction'comprising a relatively rigid upperlift adapted to be afhxed tothe bottom surface of a shoe,.said upperv lift having a peripheral downwardly outwardly diverging wall,v

and a rubber lift adapted for manual attachment and removal from saidupper lift, comprising a bottom tread portion having substantially vertical outer walls and a peripheral upstanding ange portion extending upwardly of said tread portion,

said ange having normally upwardly and inwardly converging outer and inner walls, the inner walls converging inwardly at a more rapid rate than the outer walls and the peripheral di-V monaci to ilt over said upper lift walls being substantially thinner than their height.

2. A heel construction comprising a relatively rigid upper liftadapted to be alxed to the bottom surface of a shoe, said upper lift having a peripheral downwardly outwardly diverging wall, and a rubber lift adapted for manual attachment and removal fromysaid upper lift, comprising a bottom tread portion-having substantially vertical outer walls and a peripheral upstanding ange portion extending upwardly of said tread portion, said iiange having normally upwardly and inwardly converging outer and inner walls, the inner walls converging inwardly ata more rapid rate than the outer walls and the peripheral dimensions of the innerwalls being such as to require stretching of said walls to telescope said walls over the peripheral outer walls of said upper lift, and the normal angle of convergence of said outer rubber lift walls being such that upon mutual attachment of said lifts said outer wail surfacesv become substantially aligned with the substantially vertical outer walls of said tread portion, the portions of said ange adjacent'said tread portion adapted to fit over said upper lift walls being substantially lthinner than the height of said ange.

3. A heel construction comprisinga relatively 'rigid upper lift adapted to be aixedtothe bottom surface of a shoe, the lower peripheral portion of said upper lift having a downwardly outwardly diverging wall symmetrically rel ited to the outer side walls of said' lift,` and a rubber lift adapted for attachment to and remov-` l from said upper lift, comprising a bottom tread portion having substantially vertical outer walls and an integral, peripheral upstanding flange portion normally extending upwardlyand inwardly of said tread portion, the outer and inner Walls of said ange converging toward the tread portion and the-said inner Walls diverging outwardly at a more rapid rate than theadjacent outer walls and the peripheral dimensions of the inner walls being such as to require stretching of said walls to telescope the said walls over the peripheral diverging walls of said upperlift, and the normal angle of convergence of the outer walls of said lower rubber lift being -such that upon mutual vattachment of said lifts said outer walls become substantially aligned with the substantially vertical outer ,walls of said tread portion and said outer side walls of said upper lift.

4. In a shoe, a heel base fastened to the shoe. y

portions for removably connecting said member to said base and normally preventing removal movement of said member in all directions in its ownplane, said interengaging portions comprising a continuous undercut wall on the lower side oi' `said base and symmetrically related. to the outer, lateral and inner side Walls of the shoe heel and a' continuous peripheral ange on said member normally extending upwardly therefrom and inwardly and having a. cross section throughout its contour substantially complementary to the recess formed by said undercut wall, the width of said iiange at its outer end being less than the height thereof, said flange being arranged to be expanded laterally over said undercut wall whereby it yieldingly engages therewith to removably secure said member to said base.

vrc'rbn A. LIPPERT.

i 'and a rubber tread member, and'interengaging 

